Mallory Dies parents sue driver, Capps and the U.S. government

April 20, 2014

Mallory Dies

The parents of the woman fatally injured when a legislative aide for Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara struck her and then drove away filed a lawsuit against the driver Raymond Morua, Capps and the federal government. [KEYT]

Morua, 32, left a Dec. 6 holiday party for the Santa Barbara Independent, struck Malory Dies, drove away and crashed into a palm tree. Morua had a blood alcohol level of .17.

Attorney Robert Stoll, who represents Matthew and Raeona Dies, contends Raymond Morua was on the job as a legislative aide to Capps at the time of the accident. In addition, Stoll says Capps was aware of Morua’s previous DUIs and hired him for a position that required driving from events that included alcohol.

Stoll also claims Capps and her staffers attempted to cover-up knowledge of Morua’s past.

“While Mallory was still alive, there was a move underfoot by Lois Capps’ office to get Morua out of jail and get him out of town,” Stoll told KEYT. “They did it by forging Mr. Morua’s name on what are known as medical authorizations. But, then they got word that she was going to be taken off life support. We don’t know how Capps’ office found out such sensitive family information. They moved very quickly at that point and cancelled all plans to get him out of town and then began to distance themselves from Mr. Morua. That’s what this case is going to be searching for in the way of proof.”

Morua pleaded guilty Tuesday to gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and fleeing the scene of the crime. A judge will sentence the former congressional aide on May 28.

This is so outrageous! If these allegations are true, and Lois Capps herself used her power to do all that is alleged, she should resign immediately and be charged with obstruction of justice, etc. If she did not know (which is possible – staff can get pretty out of hand – look at New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and the traffic scandal) – she should reconsider if she is truly fit for this office and elect to retire. The lady promised to serve only three terms and that was 14 or 15 year ago! So we know she lied about that…

My heartfelt sympathies to the family of the girl – to lose anyone in an accident is so hard and to have it splashed all over the papers because of the perpetrator is even more horrific. I hope you take these people to the cleaners and THEY pay- not us taxpayers!

Great quote from the lawyer. “That’s what this case is going to be searching for in the way of proof.” In other words, make your inflammatory accusations to the press, then look for some evidence. Are there any honest lawyers left? Or do the $500 per hour leaches even care about anything other than charging by the minute? Ambulance chasers indeed. Geez.

Agreed. You can also point your finger toward the specific media outlets who offer up theory before fact…and those among us who CHOOSE to form opinions based on those theories. Jeez, the theory of a money-grubbing lawyer no less.

All this does is fan the flames of the anti-Capps brigade…a new opportunity to create more theory before fact and attempt to influence any potential jurors in the future.

I often find that in the end…the true facts never support the theory (ASSumptions).

Punish the young man to the fullest extent that our law humanely allows…but let’s keep the noose for Capp’s neck aside until we learn the truth. Otherwise, your own ASSumptions just might…well, you know.

We are all so partisan we can overlook nearly anything. Sick as it is, Capps supporters won’t waver. Much like Gibson’s improprieties didn’t shake his support base. Much like Adam Hill’s looniness doesn’t cause his support to wane.

It works both ways. I have seen partisan blindness from conservatives too.

I don’t know if this lawyer has a case or is just tossing out a theory to see how much money he can extort in a settlement. I think that I will wait for some verifiable facts before accusing her of complicity or coverup.

I still don’t plan to vote for her, but that is based on her history as an enabler for some of the sleazier elements in her political party. I don’t know if she does this because she is politically timed or because she actually believes that the small favors tossed her way justify the tolerance of the moral turpitude of the party power brokers. I have no reason to think that she is corrupt or evil — yet.